River Mile: 29.1 - left
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Difficult. Swimming and climbing is required to explore here.
Wet or Dry?: Wet.
Ideal Weather: Any
Potential: A fall stops even gnarly climbers at 0.3 miles.
This short hike offers some of the best narrow canyon scenery in the entire Grand Canyon. Silver Grotto is a must-see fro anyone with a fascination for wet and narrow canyons. Polished limestone walls twist upward, and giant bathtubs of cold rainwater fill the canyon floor. Upstream travel here is slow and difficult, but also interesting and exciting.
To get into the canyon, follow the faint path that leads to a short climb (5.0 10’) on the creek right side of the wash. From the top of this initial climb, it is an easy 40-yard walk to the mouth of the enchanting Silver Grotto narrows. To proceed upstream farther requires lots of swimming and climbing.
The first move is a down-run on smooth sloping limestone into the canyon bottom. Most parties set a rope here for the return route. Next comes the first swim. Or, if you like a challenge, try the friction walk around the creek left side of the pool. A short scramble up a waterslide will have you at the next pool, where a momentum critical circle-run across the wall might keep you out of the water for the time being.